ST. LOUIS — Have you noticed the beautifully painted doors throughout the region? Some are at breweries, delis and there's even one at Busch Stadium. These colorful doors have popped up everywhere from O'Fallon, Missouri to O'Fallon, Illinois.
"They really are works of art," said senior director of regional corporate relations for the American Cancer Society Jason McClelland.
The art installation is called 42 Doors of Hope. It's a new campaign from the American Cancer Society. Organizers hope you'll go to 42doorsofhope.org, find a map of the doors, go on a tour and donate to the cause.
He said, "42 resembles 42 guest rooms that will be in our new Hope Lodge we are building."
The American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge is a free guest house for cancer patients and caregivers to stay while they travel to the city to get treatments.
Construction is underway on the new state-of-the-art lodge in the Central West End.
He said, “One of the biggest things we hear from patients traveling in is that St. Louis has world-renowned centers. One of the biggest barriers is housing and we want patients to focus on getting better and getting well, not worry about finding money, hotel, and transportation, those types of things. If it wasn’t for Hope Lodge, these patients could elect not to get their treatment.”
The American Cancer Society recruited 42 popular local artists, including Edo Rosenblith. His door is located at Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood.
He said, “My mother is a cancer survivor. The kind of service that Jason was describing was amazing that you provide free housing. She was living in the Central West End at time, so 10 minutes away, she had to travel. So having to imagine extra expense, it’s a great service to provide. It seemed like a no-brainer to want to be part of that.”
It's more than just cool art, these doors are a symbol of hope.
The Website is 42doorsofhope.org if you'd like to donate.
There's a contest, and the winning door will be installed in the new Hope Lodge.
They hope to welcome their first guest into the hope lodge by the end of the year, depending on COVID-19 and the pandemic.
The dollars raised through 42 Doors of Hope will go to purchasing things you have in your home, like mattresses and pots and pans for the kitchen.
